Chicago Street Race adds Arby's as major sponsor for July Fourth NASCAR event
NASCAR is beefing up its sponsorship of next month's Chicago Street Race with the addition of Arby's.
The fast food chain was announced as a 'founding partner' Wednesday of the third annual race around the pop-up Grant Park course during the Fourth of July weekend. Arby's joins Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois and Xfinity as major sponsors of the event.
'This marks an exciting moment for our brand in the world of motorsports, with one of the most dynamic and groundbreaking events in racing,' Jeff Baker, chief marketing officer at Arby's, said in a news release. 'Nothing goes better with NASCAR than one of our delicious Arby's sandwiches, and we can't wait to bring the meats to the streets for race fans and Arby's fans in Chicago and beyond.'
Arby's, which is new to NASCAR, is replacing Chicago-based McDonald's as a major sponsor of the street race.
In addition to race weekend visibility and promotions, Arby's is offering chances through June 22 to win tickets to the Chicago Street Race at 47 restaurants in the city and suburbs. The unique event on the NASCAR calendar features an Xfinity Series race on July 5, and the nationally televised Grant Park 165 Cup Series race on July 6.
The announcement comes as NASCAR and the city are gearing up for a more streamlined race weekend event with a smaller concert lineup, downsized hospitality buildout, reduced ticket prices and an accelerated setup/breakdown schedule.
Southern rockers the Zac Brown Band, scheduled to perform after the Xfinity Series race, are the only musical headliners on the bill for year three. But NASCAR is planning to add a miniature golf course and other family-friendly activities to the festivities.
The Grant Park 165 on Sunday is scheduled to start at 1 p.m., 2½ hours earlier than last year, in the hopes of finally finishing the race, which has been shortened by inclement weather the first two years. The Cup Series broadcast is also moving from NBC to cable channel TNT.
Tickets, which went on sale in January, are less expensive this year. Single-day general admission passes start at $99 — a third less than last year — while premium grandstand reserved seats are priced at a nearly 50% reduction. Children 12 and under are free both days, with an accompanying adult.
The Chicago Street Race will once again feature a 12-turn, 2.2-mile course through Grant Park, down DuSable Lake Shore Drive and up Michigan Avenue, which will be closed off and lined with fences, grandstands and hospitality suites. But a relocated concert stage will replace the Skyline, a mammoth temporary structure along Columbus Drive that last year housed the most expensive suites overlooking the start/finish line at Buckingham Fountain.
Street closings for the buildout have been reduced to 18 days. The first shutdown is set for June 19, with all streets to be reopened by July 14.
Chicago saw a boost in tourism last year. Will the pope be a blessing in 2025?NASCAR is in the third and final year of an inaugural agreement with the city to host the Chicago Street Race, a deal struck during Mayor Lori Lightfoot's administration.
Last year, the race generated $128 million in total economic impact and drew 53,036 unique visitors, according to a study commissioned by Choose Chicago, the city's tourism arm.
rchannick@chicagotribune.com
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